• MOH has detected “likely Covid-19 transmission in the vicinity of Hougang Avenue 8” 
• Residents and visitors of Block 506 in the area and employees of shops in seven nearby blocks will have to undergo mandatory testing
• New infections have been found in Block 506 and neighbouring ones since an earlier round of testing 

SINGAPORE — Surveillance by the Ministry of Health (MOH) has detected “likely Covid-19 transmission in the vicinity of Hougang Avenue 8” and the authorities have ordered residents and visitors of Block 506 in the area to undergo mandatory testing.

Staff members of shops in seven nearby blocks are to also undergo the compulsory polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests, MOH said in a press release on Thursday (June 3) night.

It said that new cases have been found in Block 506 as well as neighbouring ones since an earlier round of testing was conducted at the block on May 21 and 22.

“Covid-19 viral fragments were also detected in wastewater samples collected from some of these blocks,” MOH said in its statement.

This second round of mandatory testing is carried out to detect cases that are still incubating the virus during the previous round of testing, which uncovered two positive cases.

The neighbouring blocks are:

• 511 Hougang Avenue 10

• 681, 683 and 684 Hougang Avenue 8

• 682 Hougang Avenue 4

• 685 and 698 Hougang Street 61

Residents will get tested at the void deck of Block 507 Hougang Avenue 8 from Friday and Saturday, between 9am and 4pm.

“In the event that a positive case is detected, MOH will isolate the case, identify all close contacts, test and quarantine them to protect the community from further transmission,” it said.

The authorities had earlier identified 11 Covid-19 cases from at least four different households living in Block 506, including two which were detected from the earlier mandatory testing exercise.

In its update on the Covid-19 situation on Thursday night, MOH said that whole genome sequencing and phylogenetic analysis conducted by the National Public Health Laboratory have revealed links among previous cases to Block 506 Hougang Avenue 8, which is now a new cluster.

The first detected case was a 57 year-old Malaysian unemployed woman whose infection was confirmed on May 15.

The cluster now has 13 cases, following the addition of a new case — also a resident of Block 506 —  reported on Thursday.

The 58-year-old Singaporean woman is a homemaker who had received her first dose of Covid-19 vaccine on May 18.

She had developed a fever on May 29, a cough on May 30, and a runny nose the following day.

She sought medical treatment at a polyclinic on June 1, and underwent both an antigen rapid test and a PCR test, and was immediately isolated when her rapid test result came back positive on the same day.

Her PCR test result came back positive on June 2.

MOH said that for the latest testing operation, it will distribute leaflets and send mobile phone text messages to residents to give them more information.

“Residents are also advised to monitor their health closely and consult a doctor immediately if they feel unwell,” it added.

“Those who are still awaiting their PCR test results are advised to minimise social interactions as much as possible.”

VOLUNTARY TESTS

MOH will be conducting voluntary PCR testing for residents in the seven blocks above and the people who had visited them from May 19 to June 3.

This is to prevent further spread and to detect possible asymptomatic cases in the community.

On Tuesday, mandatory testing for residents living in Blocks 501 and 507 Hougang Ave 8 started after Covid-19 viral fragments were found in wastewater samples collected from the blocks.

MOH said on Thursday that it had finished testing all 828 residents and visitors of the two blocks on Thursday, and 680 individuals were found negative while one tested positive.

“Epidemiological investigations are ongoing to determine linkages and the source of transmission.”